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Ibiza
IBIZA. THE FIRST TIME.
SEVEN WEEKS TO GO.
My wife, her mum and dad and my son have not got anywhere booked for a mediterranean holiday. We've been to a few travel agents and nothing matches our criteria. Her mum and dad want a hotel and half board. Nothing! That's it I say "I'm going to town and I'm not coming back until I've booked a holiday." I sit on a stool in TRAVELTEXT NOTTINGHAM. An hour later I ring my wife. "We're going to Ibiza, self catering in an apartment". I detected the trepadation in my in laws voices when I informed them. We would be making our own way from the airport, an idea totally alien to them.
THE AIRPORT.
Thanks to my friend Keith for the lift in his mini-bus, all five of us and luggage, the fifty miles from Nottingham to Birmingham International Airport. Incidentally, for those in the U.K., the NATIONAL MOTOR CYCLE MUSEUM is to be found at the entrance to the airport. Couple of pints of Stella Artois in the friendly bar and we are into the holiday mode proper. We fly with MONARCH AIRLINES. The flight leaves and lands on time. A very pleasant flight, just over two hours long. Nitty gritty time now, is there any taxis. Yes, we get the first two of a long line. Twenty minutes later and we arrive at the apartment block in ES CANA. The time taken from the plane landing to us arriving at the apartment 40 MINUTES. In laws are suitably impressed ( We meet two families later that arrived via official holiday company coach and it took them THREE HOURS in total). Time for inspection of our living quarters. Third (Top) floor, number 304 SANDIC APARTMENTS. law's qThe apartment is best summed up by father inuestion, "Is this ALL ours?" The apartment is spotless, acres of space, L-shaped balcony that serves every room and is as wide as my car driveway. The view is just STUNNING.
The view from our apartment a few moments after we arrived. Alex sets the scene.
We unpack and go for a look around the town. Plenty of bars, restaurants and shops. Beach looks good too. We eat at VISTA LA MERE where the food is good although the chips (fries) could be better. Hypnotist act is good, don't you just love watching people making fools of themselves? A pint of lager is 300 pesatas. Early night.
1ST Day.
Basically we just lounged by the pool all day, breakfast and lunch on the balcony of the apartment. A note for self-caterers here: We found the price of food to be very reasonable and at times cheaper than home in England. No large hypermarkets here but plenty of family run stores. A must is the bread baked on the premises ( Fresh or what!). For those who prefer their lager in a glass beside the pool and not in a bar, a Litre bottle of MAHON (5%) will cost you 240 or 250 pesetas. We meet the Inspirations tour rep who cordially invites us all to the welcome party at POPEYE'S, later. My wife and I decide to attend. The reps tell you what you need to know about the island and offer many trips. TIP: Don't get carried away by all the trips they offer. Don't get me wrong, they are all good value and a great way to see the island but in many cases you may pay up to half price if you look around and see what the local operators offer. Many use the SAME coaches at the SAME time. However some trips are exclusive to the tour company and well worth a try. I must say that I found the reps presentation to be both professional, helpful and friendly. Perhaps the 2or 3 jugs of Sangria helped to influence me (They had made loads and many were too shy to accept what was offered. No need to be greedy but we sat with a couple of ladies from Scotland and one of the reps, who happened to be from'North of the border' too. It was an enjoyable hour and a half. However back to see the others and we go for a meal at the one and only Chinese (may have been Cantonese) restaurant in ES CANA. 9,545 Pesetas it cost for the 5 of us, couple of rounds of drinks included. The plates just kept coming and I have to say the food was delicious and we did get too much. My only gripe and it is a minor one: the waiters hover and as soon as a plate is empty they swoop and remove it. Others may consider this to be good service so please don't be put off-we weren't.
2nd Day
We have a traditional English breakfast and catch the bus to SANTA EULALIA (115 Pesetas) TIP: Unless you want to explore every nook and cranny of the island, don't bother with a hire car. Public transport, throughout the entire fortnight we were there, we found to be RELIABLE, PUNCTUAL and compared to England, CHEAP. I drive all the rest of the year for a living so I didn't really want to drive here as well. Didn't need too. On the bus you get a chance to enjoy the scenery and it's probably quicker as well (You don't get lost, that'll be on a page about Majorca I'll be doing later). SANTA EULALIA, lovely beach, plenty of shops, bars, restauants and also a major bus terminal from where you can access anywhere on the island. The beach and accompanying promenade reminds us of CALA MILLOR, MAJORCA. We dine at MEL'S, a bar/ restaurant one of many to be found on the promenade. * 10 out of 10 (we were to return several times here).
Eric and Marian (the in-laws) posing on the promenade at Santa Eulalia
Chilling out at Mel's Alex on the beach at Santa Eulalia
On return to ES CANA and after tea we took a gentle stroll, taking in the thriving shops, the sounds, the street artists, in all a very pleasant atmostphere. The street artists are a must to watch, portrait sketches, true life and cariciture, necklace makers and what masterpieces of art to behold from the guy with the spray cans (No grafiti here).
3rd Day
Every Wednesday in ES CANA is the 'Hippy Market'. A LARGE hippy market and people from the entire island descend. If you like car boots, this is an upmarket one and the 4 hours we spent here went quickly. Eric has picked up a chesty cold by night time, Alex has met new friends from SUNDERLAND so Marian, Lynda and I decide to try the restauant below our apartment, THE BULL'S HEAD. What's that saying about not seeing the wood for the trees or not realising you've got something great staring at you. This was to be our dining room for the rest of the holiday when we were eating in ES CANA. The food is great, good price 2to £3 each and the staff friendly and relaxed.
Yours truly propping the bar up at 'The Bull's Head Restaurant'.
4th Day
Eric still not too clever so we chill out beside the pool all day, it's a hard job but someone's got to do it. He's feeling better by evening so we all dine at Bull's Head food is superb. Keeping to the cow/bull theme we go for a few beers at a large open sided pub called MAD COW , plenty of running around room here for kids, loads of stuff for the kids to do and watch while the adults can enjoy a few beers 2 for 1 on selected lines i.e. lager, bacardi and coke, orange and a few others, listen too for Georgio announcing 2 for one on ANY drink at certain times. Main attraction, besides the constant music, games and drink is the 'Bucking Bull'. Daft lad here was coerced into it, good laugh, no danger when you fall onto a large inflatable 'drop zone' and believe you me you do fall off.
5th Day
Breakfast and then bus to Santa Eulalia and then a bus (115 pesetas) to a beautiful cove called CALA LLONGA , the brochure's do not do it justice. I could really chill out here. The beach and view are beautiful. However, no rest for the wicked and off we go back to Santa Eulalia this time on the boat (400 pesetas), lovely! Lunch at Mel's . Lynda, Marian and Alex go to the beach, 10 yards away, for a swim while Eric and I have some more 'lunch'. Oh it's a hard life.
6th Day
After breakfast we all take a leisurely stroll along the superb marble coastal path to Cala Nova , Lynda stopping twice to swim in the sea at various points along the way. Plenty of benches to stop and take in the view. The ladies decide to do a bit of shopping tonight (they're all the same guys yes?) so Eric and I observe the street artists and just watch the world go by. Hard life innit?
7th Day
Today I call 'The search for CALA MASTELLA '. The guidebook says 'a marvellous little cove....' hard to get to but worth the effort and all the more appealing'. Roast beef and yorkshire (well it is Sunday) and off for another walk. We lose Alex on the way when we meet his pals from our apartment block. On we go until we reach CALA LLENYA a cove with a large sandy beach and the proverbial bar.
CALA LLENYA
"Let's go round the headland and have a look at Cala Mastella." Says Lynda. The in-laws prefer to stay at the beach bar before sauntering back 'home'. Tip: Do not trust the scale on maps of foreign countries. Three hours later, having climbed over rocks and boulders, negotiated a maze of country lanes and found ourselves in a holiday centre CLUB AZUL twice, we returned to the apartment failing in our quest, Man of La Mancha or what? Someday we'll laugh about this I say. Lynda is not convinced. No energetic stuff tonight in any pub, too tired. A quiet drink and do the large crossword in the Sunday Mirror. Cannot get the last clue.
8th Day
CYCLONE! I awake at six and shout out the answer to the final clue. Bus to Santa Eulalia and then to PORTINATX at the north of the island famous in it's own way for being the area where South Pacific was filmed. You have to visit here when you go to Ibiza. Coastal walks, boat trips, water sports, a selection of beautiful beaches and a good selection of seafront bars and restaurants will keep you amused whether you want to be active or idle.
PORTINATX
When you look across the bay from the bus stop you will see the tiny pier where the glass bottom boat moors between it's regular trips. We have a couple of beers and a pizza (freshly made in front of you) at the bar that looks directly to the jetty. Forgot the name but if you go on a day trip this is a GOOD place to eat.
Ah well, might as well wait here for the next boat.
Really enjoyed today rounded off by a games challenge with our Sunderland friends in a local bar.
9th Day
Too hot to do a lot so it's beside the pool all day. I really could get used to this.
10th Day
Hippy market day. Been there, done that so let's find CALA MASTELLA. " I think I know how to get there," I say, don't walk down to Cala Llenya keep on the inland lane and as soon as we see Club Azul on the headland we can move towards the coastline. Great idea in theory not so good in practice. The in laws fall by the wayside after the first hour of searching the maze of lanes. Lynda and I try for what seems an eternity and would you believe it, somehow at one stage we ended up in Club Azul. A note for any German visitors to this page, Club Azul , 100% Deutch is very impressive, with a lot of facilities and a beautiful location. We fail again but we have made a decision, before we go home WE WILL find CALA MASTELLA. We visit POPEYE'S tonight, Karioke night and the place is packed. We meet our new found friends from Sunderland and end up at the Mad Cow. Tonight was a late night.
11th Day
Up early, down to the jetty and board the boat to go to IBIZA TOWN. Change boats at Santa Eulalia, stop at Cala Llonga on the way. The rugged coastline is impressive and as you approach the town if you look out to see you can see island of FORMENTORA worth a visit. We didn't on this occasion but had we done we were advised to go from Ibiza Town on the ferry for speed. The vista as you turn the headland and make your approach to Ibiza Town is awesome, the old walled city, D'ALT VILLA monitors your entrance.
The ancient fortress, D'ALT VILLA looks down as you enter IBIZA TOWN harbour.
You can feel the atmostphere as you step off the boat of a vibrant city. We walk to the imposing walls of D'Alt Villa and we 'do' the walls. The view is AWESOME. Inside the walls is a small town alll on it's own, reminding us of MDINA, MALTA (the silent city) yet with the 'cuteness' of CLOVELLY in CORNWALL . Art museums, streetside cafes and antique shops line the thin, high-walled streets. A multitude of fashion named shops adorn the streets make Ibiza a major shopping experience situated on the pedestrian areas.
12th Day
WE WILL find Cala Mastella today. Lynda and I hire a couple of bikes from a hire shop close to our apartment. We also get concise directions from the owner of the hire shop. We take the main road to ST.CARLOS and follow the signs eventually coming to the scenic cove down a STEEP hill. The beach is small, only 100 metres long and 20 metres wide, the sea rolling to the beach via wooded slopes. We are the only ones here, heaven. To the left I spot a well worn path on the rocks that appear to lead to an inlet. I explore and as I turn the corner I come upon a small natural harbour. Set in the rocks is an open sided dining area. I imagined I would see Bogart arrive on the African Queen at any moment. I could spend the rest of my life here.
The harbour and restaurant at Cala Mastella, the beach out of sight to the left.
We return via the lanes we got lost in earlier in the week and can't believe that we got so close. It takes us 10 mins. We rest, elated beside the pool all afternoon. You've heard of the Lone Ranger, meet Rawhide, it's been a long time since I rode a bicycle. For a change we dine at the HOTEL MIRANDA on the beachfront at ES CANA. Excellent.
13th Day
A quiet day poolside.
Last day
A relaxing day beside the pool before we fly home at 7 O'clock. We didn't want to go home,